Summer signing Dwight Gayle still even heads the betting at 8/1 to be the Championship’s top scorer, despite his blank at Craven Cottage.

However, recent Championship campaigns are hardly littered with teams to have secured a top-two finish having opened the season with a defeat.

No team since West Brom in 2007/08 has lifted the title following a gameweek-one reverse, while Norwich in 2010/11 are the only others in the last eight seasons to obtain automatic promotion after suffering the same fate.

That means that only two of the past 18 sides to go up automatically have done so after losing their first Championship game, which obviously isn’t a substantial number.

Although, there are a few things that Toon supporters can take solace from in recent years to reassure them that promotion remains a real possibility.

Newcastle themselves failed to begin with a victory on the last occasion they featured in the second tier, drawing with West Brom on the opening day in 2009/10 before eventually surpassing 100 points to win the division.

In 2011/12, Reading made a dreadful start when collecting just four points across their opening six fixtures before improving to be crowned champions.

And just 12 months ago, neither Burnley nor Middlesbrough, who eventually finished first and second, won on the opening weekend.

Both began with a draw and Burnley’s start was particularly slow as they failed to take maximum points in any of their first three games.

It’s clear that more creativity and cutting edge will be necessary against Huddersfield next, but already history suggests that the title is a big ask for Newcastle.

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Craig has written for Ladbrokes since the 2010 World Cup, having previously gained a Media & Sports Journalism degree and contributed to publications including the Racing Post. His main areas of interest are horse racing and UFC, but he is also an avid X Factor gambler and likes nothing more than indulging in a spot of Hip Hop Karaoke.

Ladbrokes Betting & Gaming Ltd. is licensed (licence no. 1611) and regulated by the British Gambling Commission for persons gambling in Great Britain and LC International Limited, Suites 6-8, 5th Floor, Europort, Gibraltar, is licensed (RGL Nos. 010, 012) by the Government of Gibraltar and regulated by the Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner.